Pietersen and Plunkett

By Gary Watton
June 25 2013

A brilliant century from the returning Kevin Pietersen defied a dominant Yorkshire procession towards a victory, thereby ensuring that Surrey escaped from Leeds with a draw, although the white rose still remains [temporarily] atop the County Championship charts.

Remarkably, the home team's captain failed to win the toss, but it scarcely mattered as Surrey asked Yorkshire to bat first, and the Tykes responded with: thank you very much, we'll just go and compile over four hundred runs. There seems to be a myth that Headingley is a bowler's paradise. Well this result and plenty of others besides would indicate otherwise. Even the Australian team that was famously skittled out for 111 on that fateful day in 1981 did actually surpass four hundred runs in the first innings of that astounding test match. Besides, if one looked at the scores that Australia themselves have constructed over the years in Leeds, it should leave one in no doubt that Headingley is not some dodgy wicket where it is prudent to ask the other team to bat first. Instead, as this encounter has proven, batting first and batting well at Headingley reaps its rewards.

The star turn for the hosts was Andrew Gale yet again. Assisted by another innings-rescuing contribution from the admirable Gary Ballance which fell just ten runs short of a ton, red-hot Gale recorded his third century in three consecutive four-day matches, emulating his colleague, Mr Rashid. Meanwhile, Liam Plunkett reinforced his credentials as an all-rounder with a brace of fifties in this high-scoring contest.

Well, it all looked so rosy for Yorkshire [white rosy perhaps] until Kevin Pietersen proved not for the first or last time in his illustrious career that he is a game-changer. His 177 not out prevented Surrey from having to follow on and basically condemned the match to a draw. True, Yorkshire could and perhaps should have declared with four hours left [and at least holding a lead of 250] and then had a dash at the visitors, but according to Dave Callaghan of Radio Leeds, the home team's bowling attack had been depleted by injuries to Patterson and Sidebottom. Consequently, what ought to have been an exciting final day became instead something of a damp squib, with the veteran Gary Keedy managing to run through a Yorkshire batting line-up as he did in bygone days for Lancashire.

Maybe the Gale who blows hot and cold ought to be commended for not declaring and providing his opponents with the opportunity of cheap points. Oh well, it could have been a win, it might have been a defeat if a declaration had resulted in another inspired Pietersen effort, but instead it was a stalemate, mate. Ultimately, Yorkshire have extended their unbeaten run in the First Division and maintained their challenge to finish top of English cricket's blue riband event. It was just their misfortune that KP's comeback match was against the Tykes, and gee he sure made it count!

YORKSHIRE versus Surrey; at Headingley; 21-24 June 2013; Surrey won the toss.

YORKSHIRE first innings: 433 for 9 declared (Gale 148, Ballance 90, Plunkett 51; Lewis 3-80, Linley 3-108)

Surrey first innings: 353 for 7 declared (Pietersen 177*; Brooks 3-64)

YORKSHIRE second innings: 254 (Plunkett 68; Keedy 7-99)

Surrey second innings: 4 for 0

Match drawn; YORKSHIRE 8 points, Surrey 9 points